


a slip of tongue

by shymin



Series: kyman drabbles [3]
Category: South Park
Genre: Gen, M/M, Rivalry, Stan Marsh - Freeform, mentions of past Eric Cartman/Heidi Turner, preslash, spoilers for seasons 20 through 22, this was just an excuse to write jealous!kyle, typical arguments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 17:35:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16372052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shymin/pseuds/shymin
Summary: was he ever really yours if he wanted me so bad?





	a slip of tongue

**Author's Note:**

> yet another mind dump from my bus travels on the way to and from work
> 
> (if you see any typoes please let me know!)

Cartman brings Heidi up often.

Usually, he mentions her with total irrelevance to whatever conversation they’re having, in quick passing and with no apparent reason other than his self-acclaimed bragging rights for having had a girlfriend - something that Kyle’s never had. It’s usually objectifying and frankly demeaning, and Kyle’s growing really damn sick of it.

They’re on the school playground a couple days after the vaping incident, and Cartman’s on one of his tirades about how Kyle ruined his fun again, because even days later he can’t let this go.

“Butters and I were just trying to rekindle our friendship, Kyle, but you just had to get involved, didn’t you? You’re always -“

“- You weren’t rekindling anything, you were conspiring with him -“ Kyle cuts him off, and Stan gives them both a tired look. They both know Cartman’s taunt is a bait, but Kyle rises to it anyway, because that’s what the two of them do. 

Cartman gesticulates wildly. “Oh yeah? Really, Kyle? Really? What about Heidi, huh? What about my girlfriend? Do you think I was ‘conspiring’ with her too?” 

“Yeah, actually, I do! You lied to that poor girl and tricked her, and then you did it again because you couldn’t handle the fact that she left you for me!”

“Oh, that’s real fucking low, Kyle. I didn’t force Heidi to do anything. She came back to me all by herself, because the truth is that she liked me better.”

“No, she didn’t,” Kyle growls. 

From beside them, Stan sighs. “Guys, c’mon” he tries.

“Yes she did, Kyle! It’s not my fault that your kind can’t help stealing things from other people!”

“You’re such a fucking idiot, you don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Kyle says, anger boiling.

“Don’t make me say it,” Cartman dares.

“This is what I mean! Maybe Heidi left you because you’re a racist piece of shit!”

Cartman cocks his head, eyes narrowing. “Name-calling, Kyle? Really?”

Kyle makes an unintelligible sound of frustration. 

“You’ve always been jealous of me,” Cartman concludes, shaking his head. “Heidi was just the icing on the cake, and now you’re taking it out on me because you missed out on being with her-“

“It’s not her I missed!” Kyle snaps without thinking. Both Stan and Cartman go startlingly quiet around him. 

“...Dude,” Stan says after a moment.

Kyle jerks up, taking in the expressions on their faces; Stan’s of extreme pity and Cartman’s of bug-eyed surprise. Kyle realizes too late what he’d just said.

“T-that’s obviously not what I meant,” He stammers, face burning. Embarrassment runs through him like a shock bolt. 

Cartman, predictably, bursts out laughing. A few kids glance in their general direction before turning back to their playground games. Stan looks uncomfortably down at the ground, like he’s just accidentally witnessed something intimate. Kyle prays to whatever God may be out there to create a whole in the ground for him to fall into, and vows to renounce his faith when none appears. He resists the strong urge to pull his hat over his face and run.

He lets out a cough and forces himself to straighten up to his full height - still a couple inches shorter than Cartman, but better than how he’d been before. He exhales a slow breath and manages some composure. 

“We both lost her,” Kyle says calmly. It’s the first he’s admitted it out loud. “She deserves better.” He doesn’t know if Cartman hears him over the boy’s continuous laughter, but it doesn’t matter. It’s progress.

His first surrender.

**Author's Note:**

> jealous kyle is my favourite thing til the end of time thanks for coming to my ted talk


End file.
